The Moment Missed
by Isolde Jansma
Summary: A rendezvous goes sadly wrong, and the moment for a tryst seems to elude both Todd and Jennifer. Perhaps, sometime, the moment will arrive?


**It ain't mine, but I play. Enjoy.  
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**Todd/Jennifer Keller, impossible, lake, hurry, curiosity, playful, candy - Prompts**

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><p>"Hurry!"<p>

Jennifer scrabbled on the steep, muddy bank of the lake, slipping as she fought her way towards the top, and the large hand that extended towards her. Filthy dirty, stinking of pond water, covered in algae, she cursed her stupidity, and her apparent inability to climb what appeared to be an ordinary incline. In her defence, there were no damn footholds, so how Todd… Guide - or whatever he called himself – had got up there she didn't know.

The fingers attached to the hand beckoned, and his deep voice washed over her. "Hurry, Jennifer."

A retort burned her throat, but she bit it back and applied herself to the task, except just as she managed to grab the root of the tree, her feet flew from under her. Trust her to find a stupid, stupid pokey out bit anyone else would have missed. Oh no, not Jennifer Keller, Miss Clumsy of 1995, who could trip over a pin. A wave of nausea hit as her waist exploded with pain. Jennifer lay there, fighting back the urge to scream as the thing dug into her side. Stuck like a turtle on its back, both arms straining to keep her out of the water, she began to slip, the pads of her fingers ripping on the rough surface of the rock she'd grabbed.

"Todd… Guide…!" she yelped, and was rewarded by a growl.

"Is it impossible for you to remain quiet?" Todd snapped, and appeared halfway down the bank as if by magic. Braced against the outcrop of rocks, he gave a soft hiss when he scooped her up, long fingers against pressed the pain in her side. "And now you must injure yourself?" The question was husked into her ear.

"Fuck... you!" she rasped, and gulped down air. Winded, she sobbed, but wrapped her arms around Todd's neck and buried her head into his hair. It hurt like a bitch, and she could feel sticky heat under her shirt. His leather-covered shoulder gagged the howl that tried to push past her mouth, and she only just heard his snort.

"Safety first, my dear."

Hair on her neck prickled but Jennifer decided, instead of dissecting that comment, to listen for the distinctive sound of weapons fire. Something he was well used to, and expected, but about which she couldn't help but panic. The whine of an energy weapon discharging somewhere back in the wooded greenery reminded her all too well why Todd had lured… persuaded… _enticed_ her to join him away from the bright, suspicious lights of Atlantis. Away from Rodney and his constant hurt expression. She tightened her hold, wishing that particular conundrum hadn't popped into her head along with _this_… whatever this was.

You could always guarantee a welcoming committee, though. Jennifer's thoughts soured as yet another volley of weapon fire intruded on her train of thought. Always the timing was off for… she hesitated, searched for the right word… well… this assignation. And the total embarrassment when Colonel Sheppard came after her; she hadn't even strayed far or for long, dammit – fair didn't enter into the equation at all!

"How long?"

The Wraith gave a small huff, and murmured, "Not long."

Which as far as Jennifer was concerned, was no answer at all. He might as well have said the distance to the triple moons were measured in green cheese. She whimpered…

Todd growled in return, and the sensation of moving fast increased. "Soon…"

The direction he took did not lead to her friends. Jennifer could tell when he veered, sharp right angled away from them. "Where are we going?"

"I have… links with the humans here."

Which he had definitely not mentioned before. She clutched him tighter, lifting her face up to stare hard at his angled features. The green-gold of his near eye looked down at her, and glinted with a satisfied, cat-got-the-cream leer. "Where… the hell… are we… going?"

A deep-throated chuckle followed her question, and Jennifer guessed she was just along for the ride. It was so in keeping with her guilt that heat returned, fiercer than before. It also seemed he was in the mood to answer.

"Somewhere we unlikely to be disturbed, where I can tend to your wound. Where we can… quench our curiosity." Jennifer wriggled at the note in his voice and her stomach flipped end-over-end. "I will drop you if you continue to squirm," he chided, and she looked past his chin at the trees as they started to thin out, her thoughts muddled. "Better," he approved.

"Todd…"

"Guide." Air stirred her hair where it lay on her forehead.

"Guide…" Even though she didn't know if she could ever get used to calling him that, Jennifer pushed it out, and saw a minute smile crease the corner of his mouth. "Where…?"

"All will become clear, my dear."

His pace seemed to quicken again, until the trees thinned out around them and lifting her head, Jennifer saw they had come into a glade. Bright sunshine lit up a shoelace path that led towards a cave mouth, yawning in front of them like a sleeping dragon. It didn't look as if many creature comforts could be found there – but at least there was no welcoming committee, thank all the gods.

Set on her feet as soon as they got to the yawning cavity, Jennifer leaned against Guide; grateful he looped his arm around her waist as they moved inwards. She stumbled down into the maw, apprehensive, casting about for even the smallest glimmer of light, but they quickly left the gold of day behind.

What looked like a cavern narrowed fast to a tunnel that sloped down at a brisk angle, leading further into a heavy stygian darkness, thick with the smell of damp soil, and mould, a faint whiff of something she couldn't place? Jennifer felt swathed, like a mummy wrapped in thick layers of cloth, the gloom clinging to her skin. Small rocks tumbled and pattered like lead rain down into a deep ravine and she clung like a tick to Guide's solid arm. Calmed by his dependability, Jennifer allowed her taut muscles to relax just a tiny bit.

"Can they find us?" she whispered, as they moved forwards. They both knew whom she meant.

Blue fire met her query. "Do you want them to?"

The question rolled over Jennifer just as the thunder of water bludgeoned its way past her reply, and swept away her words. A shifting curtain rose in front of them, struck by thin light from a shaft, which bled rainbows that sparkled and danced over its multi-layered surface. Spray dampened her clothes, flattened her hair against her skin, and soon she was soaked through – again - all evidence of mire washed away.

They trudged steadily, the pathway steeper with every footstep, more uncertain, wetter, a never-ending grind to get nowhere, until they tiptoed across a ledge as narrow as a tight rope. Waterlogged boots squelched with each stride, and a deep chill squeezed almost every degree of warmth from Jennifer's body. It settled like winter, breath puffing in front of her. They burst through into sunshine...

A selection of houses, huts, dwellings made of wood and mud, rich with the smell of loam, and burning dung, strung out in homely welcome. Heat from the sun beat down on her saturated skin as a gentle mist began to rise from their clothing.

"Do you want them to?" he demanded, repeating his earlier question, tone gruff, and swung her back up into his arms as if she was no more than a doll made of cloth.

White tendrils fell forwards as he dropped his head, water dripped onto her clothes, but the look in his eyes was fierce and demanding. Jennifer swallowed, and he looked ahead while she clung to him, striding past a sudden influx of humans, who bowed and scraped as he made way to a house set back from the others.

"Your healer!" he roared, and shouldered open the door. The utterance gave no room for disobedience.

A startled woman came flying at the summons, shoved forwards by her fellows, hands clenched till bone showed white at her knuckles, to flutter birdlike as she offered Guide a quick bow. She trotted behind him after his brief acknowledgement, a stammered 'Commander' in answer. Features set in granite, Guide settled Jennifer on the bed in the room just beyond the living quarters, and she released her arms from round his neck. His palms slid up them until he took her hands, his own large and warm, feeding slit gaping a little against her flesh. When he leant over her, Jennifer looked up to see concern in his eyes, and she wondered at it.

"Hot water," he barked, and Jennifer jumped then heard a patter of feet. A whimper burst from her lips when he pulled her shirt apart, peeling her like a candy bar and fastened his eyes on the wound in her side. A rumble followed his careful inspection. "You are fortunate."

"Doesn't feel fortunate…" She yelped, and hissed as he probed, non-too-gently. "It stings!" His fingerguard bit into her, and she gritted her teeth, unwilling to show any weak spots in front of the Worshipper, whose gaze she could feel tracing a line along her flesh.

"My Lord." A small bowl came into her line of sight, and she watched gingerly as Guide delved into it to take a cloth. He wrung it out with a deft twist of his fingers, and applied it to her skin. She gave another yelp, and he scowled when she sucked in a breath and wriggled away.

"Stop," he snapped, and she didn't dare budge a single millimetre further. A soft grunt escaped him when he discarded the cloth, and leaned in to take another close look.

The woman holding the bowl stood ramrod still, only her eyes betrayed her amusement at Jennifer's discomfort and embarrassment. "Does she have to stay?"

Distracted, Guide frowned, but looked up at her, seeking understanding. It must have been all too clear in her expression, as he gave a quick jerk in dismissal. "Leave us."

"Perhaps, Lord, you would prefer -"

Jennifer almost recoiled when Guide's head snapped up, his nostrils flared in anger, green-gold orbs flaming. He uttered a single word, low, filled with menace. "Go!"

The woman scurried backwards, almost tripped in her haste to be gone and swirled away from the malicious ambience that hung like smoke. Creaking on its leather hinges, the door settled back into place and a long growl followed her departure. Guide gave her a thin smile before throwing off his heavy leather armour, his mood evaporating, replaced with a tension Jennifer could see in the set of his shoulders. Almost as if his overweening arrogance had been stripped away.

Jennifer lay back to consider this turn of events. Ran his uncertainty through her mind, and came up with something so unlikely she had got to be wrong. Doubt? No… surely not? And watched as he moved to check the door, as he flicked the lock down. Then winced as a sharp pang reminded her why she was lying on a lumpy straw mattress in the middle of nowhere. Squirming, she twisted enough to see the cut and gave a relieved huff. It was just a deep, nasty graze - he'd been right - red raw but beginning to granulate. Even though it ached, and she'd have a hell of a bruise, she hadn't got the puncture she first thought she'd get. For that small miracle she could be grateful.

A shadow fell across her, and she glanced into thoughtful eyes as Guide pushed her hair back from her head with the forefinger of his feeding hand. The bed dipped with his weight when he placed his knee on the mattress. Jennifer reached upward, her fingers pushing past the thin, damp silk of his undershirt to trail them along the hard lines of his abs. His breath hitched, but he caught her hand before she could do more than test the solid feel of warm flesh, raised it to his mouth, and nipped the tips of her fingers.

Warm air moved over her hand, feather soft, and he tipped his head to one side. "Such ardency." Burning orbs swept across her, and came to rest on the swell of her breasts as they pressed against the soft lace of her bra. "You did not answer me, Jennifer?" There was a hesitance in the question, as if seeking permission. "What do you want?"

Breathless as he spread her palm, Jennifer felt the movement of his lips against it, and placed a small kiss where a feeding slit should be. And all sorts of things tumbled into her head, but none of them included an answer to any question that didn't consist of getting naked. His hand curled around hers, long fingered, his thumb caressing, stroking her wrist to palm, and she shivered as if frozen.

"You are cold." Gentle, he placed her hand on the mattress, and reached for the thin rough blanket that lay at the bottom of the bed. A quick flick of his wrist ensured she was covered, and Jennifer swallowed. "You still have nothing to say, my dear?"

There it was again. The whole notion of answers to questions that seemed to require no input at all. He gave a soft murmur, and hopped up onto the bed, trapping Jennifer under the cover, and curled his long body against her side. He propped his head on one hand and ran the other across her shoulder, before leaning across to take her lower lip with his teeth.

His mouth felt warm and firm, tasted like herbs past the bloom of salt and blood, and Jennifer arched towards him, rising into a kiss that melted the ice in her bones. As it deepened, the tip of his tongue flickered across her teeth, and she flowered, nerves popping and sizzling. The pressure of his hand moved over the constrictive blanket, down the curve of her waist, long fingers tightening, kneading her flesh to treachery, as he broke the kiss.

Released, Jennifer sucked in a breath, and reached around his neck beneath the fall of mane, the processes of his vertebrae beneath her hand. "Guide…" It fell from her easily this time, no hesitance in the use of something so unfamiliar. Green-gold glimmered, a banked fire. "Warm me."

"Is that truly what you want?"

"Yes." The word left her on a whisper.

Sliding down, Guide rested his weight on her, his chest against her breasts, and he slipped the hand at her waist round to the small of her back. The blanket lay between them, rough, kept her from him. Jennifer groaned when his mouth trailed across the length of her neck, wrapped her fingers in a snarl of damp hair, and turned her head to catch his skin in her small blunt teeth.

A low, grumble shifted through his frame, and he came away, then moved the weight of his body across her so she was pinned. Almost hip-to-hip, Jennifer couldn't move a millimetre, and didn't resist when he moved quickly, captured her wrists and then rested on his elbows. "I think we should consider our options."

Jennifer's eyes fluttered open at the note in his voice. "I… I don't know what you mean."

"Curiosity is such a strange thing -" his head lowered, and his lips brushed the sensitive flesh of her jaw, sent tiny sparks of heat through her – "little Jennifer. Something to be quenched now, or perhaps…" He paused; a playful edge had entered the words. "Perhaps, this is not the time, or the place."

Confused, Jennifer bucked against him, and frowned. "You brought me here."

A faint smile turned up the corner of his mouth, and green-gold studied her with care. "I just wonder if this step is truly the right one?"

Defiance filled her, and she lifted her chin, haughty. " I haven't changed my mind. I risked a lot to come here. " Jennifer squirmed, the sudden burn of anger making her want to get from beneath him, but he pressed down harder. "Let me go then, if that's the game."

"Not yet." His free hand pushed down the blanket and slipped inside the confines of her bra, teased her nipple to a point, caressing the sensitive flesh with disturbing expertise.

"Don't…" Waves of desire strangled her as he pressed his hips down slowly, and nipped at her lips before dragging his tongue along the length of her throat. A whimper sounded in her ears, and she realised it was her own. "Stop…" He made a slow thrust against her, rubbed his pelvis against her sex, measured the pace, teased… "To… Guide… please… stop!"

The plea went unheard, as Guide's assault stepped up, and Jennifer found her body responded, arched towards him. A desperate urge to be filled with him swept through her and lit every nerve, made her wet for him. And he drew away, his nostrils flared, eyes suddenly dark, as he seemed to taste the air. Again he thrust, rubbed the hard length of his leather-covered cock into her mound, coarse blanket not enough to hide his own excitement.

""Stop?" he asked, and came down her body in a single fluid movement, to press his face against her belly. "Not yet, Jenni-fer. Not... yet."

Jennifer could do nothing as, still holding her wrists, he came to his knees and straddled her, taking great breaths. As if he could sear the scent of her into his mind. It was all she could do not cry out when his mouth descended on her sex, heat and warmth spilling through the rough cloth that bound her. Surrounding her was the thick note of a purr, and it rocked through her, shattered every nerve, as she arced, and writhed, away from his questing mouth and the sharp, sharp sting of pointed teeth.

If this was torture, then she prayed it would go on forever…

"My Lord… my Lord… Lord… you must come…"

The insistent hammering pounded in time with the beat of her heart and the sound of Guide's ragged breaths. But he stopped his cruel exploration of her sex, and reared up, lips parted in a snarl. Head turned he listened, and hissed, then turned back to rest his ravenous gaze on her.

"Speak, or die!" he roared, and bent over her, covered her mouth with his, snatched her breath with a deep kiss that pulled at her consciousness. His tongue probed past Jennifer's teeth.

"Lanteans…"

And he was gone, reaching for his coat, as Jennifer struggled to sit, the cover falling to puddle at her hips, her breast bare, flesh goose bumped. She snatched at it, pulled it up to her chin, all to conscious of the ache between her legs. The feel of him as he pushed against her… "Guide…?"

He lifted his hand, urging her to silence, and opened the door, and gave the Worshipper a brief nod. "You led them here?"

"We had no choice," the man murmured, but the look of fear in his eyes did not abate with the Wraith's huff of acceptance.

"If there was no choice, then so be it," Guide said, and looked across at Jennifer. He crossed the room, took her hand, and rested it against his chest. "It really was not the time or place."

"Yet." Jennifer said.


End file.
